EU Commission Announces 1.4 Trillion Won Afghan Support Plan

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission [Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The European Union (EU) executive body, the European Commission, announced on the 12th (local time) a support plan worth 1 billion euros (approximately 1.3821 trillion KRW) for the people of Afghanistan and neighboring countries.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, pledged this during the 'Special G20 Summit on Afghanistan' held via video conference, stating, "We must do everything we can to prevent a severe humanitarian and socio-economic collapse in Afghanistan."

This support plan includes direct humanitarian aid to the people of Afghanistan and neighboring countries, encompassing previously announced support of 300 million euros by the EU, covering vaccination, evacuation, human rights protection, and other assistance measures. The aid will be provided either directly to local residents or through international organizations operating locally.

Additionally, funds will be used to assist neighboring countries of Afghanistan that provide refuge to Afghans in managing migrants and preventing terrorism.

President von der Leyen explained the background of this support by saying, "We have made clear our conditions for dialogue with Afghan authorities, including respect for human rights," but emphasized that Afghan people should not pay the price for the Taliban's actions.

The EU Commission recently halted development aid payments to Afghanistan after the Islamic militant group Taliban took control of the country, stating that the Taliban must respect UN Security Council resolutions and human rights to access these funds. However, it has emphasized that humanitarian aid will continue.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.